Dispenser caps for fluid containers



April l1, 1961 M. FAHR DISPENSER CAPS FOR FLUID CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Fb. 10, 1958 00 i o Dlvi Uli llllllllnn! INV EN TOR.

A TTORNE Y m M P R 0 M April 11, 1961 M. FAHR 2,979,236

DISPENSER CAPS FOR FLUID CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MOR/VS FAH/2 INVENToR.

A TTO/QA/EY DISPENSER CAPS FOR FLUID CONTAINERS Morris Fahr, 1337 S. Highland Ave., Los Angeles 19, Calif.

Filed Feb. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 714,231 '3 Claims. (Cl. 222-207) The present invention relates to dispensers of viscous liquids, such -as lotions, cold cream, and other cosmetic preparations, and dispensers of liquids of lighter consistencies for spraying cleaning lluids, etc., on glass and other materials.

In my copending application, Ser. No. 651,285, led April 8, 1957, now U.S. Patent No. 2,942,762, I describe and claim a dispenser of the general type of the present invention. This prior dispenser utilizes a unit which may be attached to the mouth of a bottle, and by actuation of a exible top portion will dispense a measured quantity of the contents `of the bottle. This prior dispenser was assembled from several parts, such as a delivery tube, a lock ring, a coupling, a check valve housing, a ball check, a stop pin, and a flexible cap. These elements were all assembled before insertion into the mouth of a fluid container.

The present invention is a dispenser unit having a flexible cap but which can be molded in one piece. The unit uses a ball check valve, but the ball may be inserted in position because of the flexibility and the particular configuration and construction of the units. The delivery tube may also be a portion of the cap or may bepressed on or into an extension of the cap. A threaded coupling unit is used for a threaded neck bottle, although the dispenser may also be connected to the bottle by a press it.

Another `feature of one modification of the invention is the configuration of the exit slit in the flexible cap. The present cap is oblong in shape with a slanting upper ilexible surface and a small yfront protuberance in which is a curved slit at approximately a 45-degree angle to the face of the surface or wall in which the slit is located. The position of this slit in the front protuberance of the cap at this angle permits the slit to open outwardly and close inwardly, thus functioning in the manner of a one-way check valve. The front rim of the top and sides of rthe face of the cap meet in fairly sharp corners or edge which enables the lotion to be wiped clear from the slit 'and rim with no carry-ove1 of the dispensed lotion onto the upper surface.

A modification of the cap utilizes a staple which provides a stop for the ball check. In the preferred modication, however, the stop for the ball check is provided by narrowing down a portion ofthe cap at the mouth of the bottle which isheld in a delinite position by a threaded coupling collar. Another modification has one or more small squirt or spray holes, and the ball is then inserted from the bottom and held in position by the end of the delivery tube.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to facilitate the dispensing of liquids from bottles. v

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved dispenser for viscous and thinner liquids in containers such as bottles.

A further object of the inventionis to provide asubstantially one-piece dispenser-adapted to be connected to liquid containers and bottles.

A better understanding of this invention may be had United States Patent O from the `following detailed description when read in; connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a dispenser unit embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail front view of the dispensingcap showing the exit slit for the contents'of a container;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the,v dispenser capi taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another modifications, embodying the invention;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view takenY along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is atop view of the dispensing cap;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional -view of a third modification: of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a front view of the modification shown in Fig. 7.

Referring, now, to the drawings in which the same reference numerals refer to the same elements, a container 5; such as -a bottle, is shown having an externally threaded neck portion 6, this lneck portion holding the regular bottle cap before the dispenser is connected thereto. Surrounding the neck 6 is a threaded coupling unit 8 having an annular right angle ange section 9, this element being of rigid material. Mounted within the annular rim 9 is a substantially oval-shaped plastic cap shown generally at V11, having a rear curved protuberance wall 12, a front protuberance wall 13, and a sloping upper wall portion 14 with a fairly sharp tip 15. This cap may be of polyethylene or vinyl plastic. In the front protuberance 13 is a convex slit 17 which has an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the surface of the cap in which the slit is lo,- cated. Thus, pressure on the upper surface 14willcause` the slit 17 to open outwardly 4and close inwardly, which will provide a tight cut-off to permit the protuberance to be wiped. clean. v

The cap 14 has a tapered lower cup portion 19 in which is positioned a ball 2l) to provide a check valve. On the -lower extension 21 of the cup 19 is a delivery tube 22, `which is preferably fiexible, it being understood that this tube may also be a portion of the entire cap if desired. (See Fig. 4.)

As described in my above-mentioned copending application, the liquid within the container 5 is dispensed by simply pumping the flexible upper wall 14 of the cap- 11 vent the liquid yfrom returning to the container. After several actuations of the surface 14, the upper portionk of the dispenser 11 will become filled and the liquid will then be dispensed through the slit 17 yin yany desired amount Idetermined by the pressure on surface 14. The

liquid may also be dispensed by pressure on the cap Iwith i the thumb `on top and the index linger below the slit,

the index finger moving upwardly across the slit; f 'The angle of the slit and the dge 15 permits the cap to be wiped clean with no carry-over on the top surface 14. lt will be noted that the upper opening 23 in the cup 194is smaller in diameter than the ball 20, which prevents the ball from passing into the upper portionof thel Y dispenser. The -ball is inserted in the cup 19 by simply pressing it through the slit 17 and then through Vthe narrow portion 23 of the upper portion of the cup 179V when the coupling 8 is not in position. The coupling 8 is-then pressed into position to maintain the 4narrow opening 23 of a size to prevent the ball from leaving the cup. .Y

Referring, now, to Figs. 4 and 5, -a dispenser unit similar K to unit 11 has an upper portion 25 and a cylindrical lower portion 26 forming a cup portion in which is a ball 27. This* modification is for corked bottles and is simply pressed into the neck of the bottle, the upper stop for the ballbeing provided by a staple 29 pushed in from the upper portion of the cup 26. Also, in this modification, the delivery tube 30 is an integral part of the dispensing cap. Although a staple is shown as a stop, this stop may be omitted with lotions of light consistency, as the check ball will always return to its valve seat. However, the check ball stop is desired when lotions of heavier consistencies are used, since the ball is liable to remain suspended in such lotions.

In the modification of Figs. 4 and 5, a groove is shown by the dotted lines 32, which provides a Vent for air in the upper portion of the bottle 33, although the groove is suiciently small to preventspillage of the contents of the bottle if upset.

Referring, now, to Figs. 7 and 8, a cap 35 has a small hole 36 at or near the upper edge portion of the cap.l There may be several tine holes if desired, depending upon the type of spray required when the exible cap is actuated by pressure on the top surface ofthe cap. The throat construction of the cap may be the same as in Fig. l, whereby the narrow throat 38 is maintained of a size by the rigid screw coupler 39 to prevent the ball 41 from entering the upper cavity of the cap.

The ball 41 is inserted in the cup portion 42 of the cap through the neck portion 43 since the hole 36 is not sufficiently large to pass the ball, as is done in Fig. l. To hold the ball in the cup 42, a delivery tube 44- is now inserted and attached in any suitable manner within the neck 43, the ball resting on the end of the tube .44. The action of this dispenser cap modification is the same as described above, the liquid now being dispensed in squirts or a spray. This cap is suitable for containers of glass cleaning fluids, insecticides, and perfumes.

From the above description, it will be observed that a very economical and eicient dispenser is provided by molding the dispenser in substantially one piece, the check ball being utilized and contained by the conguration and construction of the dispensing cap itself. The dispenser may be used for threaded cap'bottles or corked bottles as described above.

I claim:

1. A dispenser unit for attachment to a container for dispensing the contents thereof comprising a cap having a tapered portionvfor insertion within an opening of said container, said cap having portions external of said container consisting of interconnected front and rear walls and a top wall, said `front wall being greater in height A than said rear wall, the top wall of said cap. extending vfrom the upper edge of said front wall to the rear wall atan angle to the plane of the opening in said container, a protuberance Afrom said front wall, said protuberancc having a slit therein, said slit forming a valve for extruding the contents of said container, and a ball in said tapered portion forming a valve in series with said slit valve, said tapered portion, said front and rear walls, said top wall and said protuberance being integral and resilient.

2. A dispenser unit in accordance with claim 1 in which the upper edge of said front wall joints the top wall of said cap in a sharper edge than said rear wall joins said top wall.

3. A dispenser unit in accordance with claim 1 in which a portion of said cap joining said tapered portion and said interconnected walls lies parallel to the plane of the opening in said container and maintains said ball in said tapered cylindrical portion.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

